Ningyo Hime
by Toon Friend
Summary: (A Ninjago version of the Little Mermaid) Nya, the young mermaid princess willingly abandons her underwater home and sacrifices everything she has, all for the love of a human prince.
1. Mermaid Princess

**Ningyo Hime**

**Thank U 4 being patient with this story! At last, my brain baby has finally come 2 fruition. I like to say thanks 2 the voter cuz if it weren't for U, this fic wouldn't even B here! Before U read, I want 2 point out that some of the characters will be drastically different, for example, Nya and Kai aren't related (in fact, Kai's not even remotely human in this fic), and my OC's from Chosen by Destiny won't B here. Don't wanna write about them in ALL of my fics. First, gotta make my disclaimer!**

**I own neither Ninjago nor the Little Mermaid. Lego owns Ninjago and HC Andersen owns the Little Mermaid. Now I proudly present 2 you, Ningyo Hime!**

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Chapter 1: Mermaid Princess

_Once upon a time- no. That's not quite right._

_This story won't begin that way, because this is no ordinary fairy tale._

_Unlike most stories that speak of fantastical sword fights, prim and proper ladies, and terrifying dragons, this one is a bittersweet tale of an innocent girl who left the world she knew and made tremendous sacrifices, all for the love of a stranger._

_But first…_

_Do you ever wonder what lies beneath the waves of the vast oceans? Is there really nothing but sand underneath the water? Do only fish, whales, and other underwater critters call the world underneath the sea their home?_

_The answers may surprise you._

_For it is in the blue realm beneath the oceans that this story begins. Deep, deep, under the sea…_

* * *

Nobody ever thought that the land wasn't the only place where grand palaces were built. There wasn't a single person who doubted that great kingdoms and beautiful princesses existed only on the surface and there was absolutely nothing deep beneath the waves.

But they were wrong.

Underneath the surface, far out into the blue world of the oceans, where no fathoms can reach the bottom, there was a majestic kingdom with a beautiful castle more grand than any built on the land above, and the underwater plants and flowers surrounding it even more so.

Fish swam through the corals like birds flitting through the trees in our world. Crabs scurried on the sand akin to the horses galloping across the plains.

But no kingdom was without a true king.

The monarch who dwelled in this land in the ocean was the Sea King.

Kind and wise, he was beloved by all his subjects. Wearing lavish layered robes and a bejeweled crown, he ruled from his castle built out of the most beautiful corals and decked with all types of decorative shells and pearls. Even the tallest tower of the palace dwarfed the great minarets of the desert realms.

In this palace, he wasn't alone. He was always accompanied by his mother, who was as sagely as she was ancient, also wearing luxurious robes and fabulous jewelry. Almost all the people in the underwater kingdom looked up to her and approached her for advice on any subjects and matter. Even the king himself would appeal to his mother whenever he had difficulty resolving any issues that plagued his kingdom, not that it wasn't peaceful.

But one thing this story has in common with many fairy tales was that the king lost his wife. But he wasn't unhappy, for his queen, before her departure from this world, brought two beautiful daughters into the ocean kingdom. But don't go thinking the people below the sea are just like us. No, there was one big difference between them and the humans of the surface. Instead of having legs, the lower half of their bodies ended with a fish tail, each a different color for every single person under the sea. They were known as merpeople.

As for the two princesses, they were as different as can be, in both appearance and personality.

The firstborn was an intelligent beauty named Zelda, whose icy blue tail was almost white. Her skin was as pale as a porcelain doll, her crystal blue eyes pierced deep into the souls of anyone who were caught in her gaze, and above all, she had gorgeous platinum blonde hair that grew all the way to her shins, should she have legs.

As for the younger daughter, her name was Nya, and she's the little mermaid of this story.

The only similarities between Nya and Zelda were the length of their luxurious locks. Other than that, they looked completely different from each other.

Nya's hair was as black as the midnight sky and her tail was a brilliant red, akin to the roses that grew in the upper world, but she wouldn't know that, for she has never seen a rose before.

Many mermen and mermaids alike were quickly charmed with her large hazel eyes that always sparkled with childlike mirth, and her skin although fair, wasn't as pale as her sister's. When it comes to personality, the only things Nya and Zelda shared were their clever wits and the most beautiful voices to grace the entire world, above and below the sea. Once again, they were very different from one another by personality and interests.

Zelda was always quite reserved, often remaining in the palace, studying on history and the like and behaving like the princess she was born to be. Whenever she left, many mermaids flocked towards her, setting up fashion trends inspired by the royal jewelry adorning her hair, flesh, and tail but she was never too concerned with her looks. Zelda was almost always solely interested in her academic studies.

As for Nya, she loved to play outside, venturing onto the ocean floor and exploring shipwrecks, looking for any neat treasures that remained undiscovered by anyone else.

But she wasn't alone.

Nya had a dear friend who always accompanied her on her adventures away from the castle, no matter where she went, he followed. The most remarkable thing about her friend was not that he was far from royalty, but the fact was…

He was a fish.

Yes, Nya's best friend was none other than a fish whose scales were was as red as the princess' tail. She even named him Kai, after a word for 'red' in one of the languages spoken by humans, which she learned from the stories her grandmother told of the world above. A unique trait of the merpeople was that they can communicate with all creatures of the sea, from the guttural whales to the relatively high-pitched starfish, so Nya and Kai were able to speak to each other.

Anyhow, Nya wanted to do nothing more than sneak out of her luxurious palace and go on all sorts of adventures with Kai. But whenever she wasn't busy exploring with her fish friend, she would dream of the world that existed far above her abode.

What were those strange creatures her father and grandmother called 'birds'?

What was fire? Why does it burn everything?

What's it like to 'burn'?

After hearing stories of the lands above the sea from her father and grandmother, Nya couldn't wait until she'll finally come of age on her sixteenth birthday. But having to wait that long was NOT exactly the little princess' forte. She'll have to make do with the little treasures she found in those rusty sunken boats with Kai.

Until that time, all members of the royal family remained in the ocean kingdom, never to bring their heads above the water. The mermaid princesses were no exception.

Until the fateful day Zelda turned sixteen.

That day may not be about Nya, but she will never forget it.

Zelda was absolutely beautiful wearing a glamorous array of seashells all over her body, from head to tail. Servants swam to and fro getting the eldest princess dressed up for her big day.

Nya pleaded to go with her sister, but her father and grandmother insisted she should wait for her turn. Besides, it wouldn't take too long since she and Zelda were only one year apart. But patience wasn't exactly a virtue she possessed. She only observed as her sister continued to be all dolled up for her journey above water.

For her special day, Zelda was even adorned with a veil and a specially made tiara, which she'll always wear, even after her first venture to the surface, as a symbol of her adulthood. The little princess could do little else but watch with longing and envy as her sister swam to the surface, her veil trailing behind her icy tail.

Nya waited anxiously for hours until she would finally see her sister again.

When Zelda returned, her sister's fascination with the world above grew even more so as she bombarded her older sister with questions of the realm above the very moment she returned.

The eldest princess spoke of how these tiny things called stars twinkled in the sky even before the sun's warm rays disappeared entirely, the heavens was one large canvas for a dazzling array of purple, pink, yellow, and orange streaks swirling above her. The colorful sky reflected on the rippling waters, making it even more striking. Having never seen the sky, Nya can only imagine what it must've looked like.

Nya became even more envious of Zelda, who could now go to and from the surface whenever she pleased, but the older mermaid was always patient enough to tell her little sister everything she saw every time she returned.

Her sister would occasionally venture far from the palace before she exposed her lovely face to the surface. Sometimes, she even caught a glimpse of the land and the towns built there by the humans who dwelt upon the earth, or even swim up a river and into the lush forests with their lofty trees occupied by birds singing sweet songs. But Zelda's favorite time to visit the surface was during the winter when she would see these oh so little things called snowflakes dancing down from the heavens that fascinated her so much she ignored the biting chills of the wind. Of course she told Nya all about it when she finally returned after gazing at the tiny flecks of ice for what could've been an eternity.

Zelda had to admit, the good thing about going to the surface was that she could get away from all the enamored mermen who sought for her silky white hand in marriage.

Nya was still young and it was forbidden in the kingdom of the merpeople for the men to court a princess until she came of age, so she wouldn't understand that part for another long while.

But eventually, Zelda all too quickly consider her underwater home far more superior than that wonderful world above for reasons Nya never really knows. Zelda always kept to herself in the royal archives even before she came of age, reading all the books she have already read for the umpteenth time. So within months, the eldest princess went back to reading in the library and avoiding countless suitors.

But time seems to have a habit of always flying by pretty quickly.

Soon, Nya's sixteenth birthday was fast approaching.

Once again, servants swam all around the castle, trying to get the adventurous princess to dress up for her first time to the surface.

"Hurry! Hurry!"

"Where's the jewelry!?"

"We mustn't keep the king waiting!"

Nya hated getting dolled up, but it was part of the 'tradition' for mermaid princesses who came of age to look their best. This time, Zelda was also there to help her get ready.

"I know you've been waiting for this moment all your life, sister." Zelda spoke with that velvety voice of hers as she adorned her with pearl necklaces.

"I know, but do I _have_ to wear all this?" Nya complained, observing her dark hair in the nearby mirror, also decorated with various gems and shells and topped with a fancy tiara.

"You must. It's a part of the royal customs. Now, let's get your veil."

"What about Kai? Can he come along?"

For a brief moment, Zelda's crystal eyes widened in astonishment, but she shook her head.

"Nya, if you keep frolicking with that naughty fish, you'll never be a true princess."

"But he's my friend! Why can't I hang out with him!?"

Again, Zelda tried to placate the more willful princess.

"Look, there's nothing wrong with making all sorts of friends, but you must remember. We are the daughters of the great Sea King, and we must live up to our royal names. Now, shall we go? Father and Grandmother are waiting for us."

After putting on her veil and some finishing touches, Nya was led to the main hall of the palace where her family awaited her.

There, on a throne of coral sat the Sea King, an aging man whose hair was now white as snow, but his face was always gentle and benevolent. Next to him sat his mother, an ancient woman with wrinkles all over her face and hair also as white as her son's, but her eyes still glimmered with vast knowledge.

"Father. Grandmother." Nya bowed her head before them.

"Nya," the Sea King started, "you have finally come of age. But remember, the surface can be a dangerous place. Please be careful."

"I will father."

Giving her parent a quick kiss on the forehead, Nya embraced her grandmother.

"It only feels like yesterday when your mother was still with us and brought you into the world. Funny how time passes by so fast. Now, you're all grown up, ready to see the world beyond our abode here in the bottom of the ocean."

"Grandmother…"

"Have a safe journey, Nya."

With that, Nya quickly swam away from the palace after saying her final farewells to her family, more than ready for this moment she has been waiting for all her life.

And thus, the story of the little mermaid has begun…

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**I know this was more of a prologue than an actual chapter, but I promise I'll get 2 the real story later.**

**BTW Zelda is my genderbent version of Zane, who'll be Nya's sibling instead of Kai. As for their father and grandmother, they're OC's inspired by Dr. Julien & Sensei Wu respectively but they're not really them being genderbent or having relationships changed.**

**4 those of U who adore happy endings, you're obviously at the wrong place. LEAVE. NOW. This will (generally) B more faithful 2 the original fairy tale.**

**Please review and tell me what U guys think of this fic so far.**


	2. Human Prince

**Ningyo Hime**

**It's been a long time since I first posted this story. Kept U guys waiting, huh? Here's the LONG overdue second chapter of Ningyo Hime! Enjoy!**

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Chapter 2: Human Prince

Nya, the youngest mermaid princess, was sixteen at last.

She swam upwards towards the surface. Where she'll finally see the world above her own.

"Nya!" A voice called out to her, and she knew who it belonged to.

"Kai!"

The princess turned to face the source of her friend's voice. Swimming up to her was Kai, a fish with fiery red scales. The first thing the red fish noticed was Nya's lavish apparel.

"What's with the fancy get-up? Going to a party?"

Nya shook her head but giggled anyway. Even though he was a completely different species, Kai was still a very fun friend to be with.

"No, Kai. Today's my sixteenth birthday."

Kai would've slapped his forehead, if he had hands.

"What!? I can't believe I forgot all about it!"

"It's no big deal, Kai. It just mean's I'll finally see the world above."

"Can I come with?" The red fish asked, swimming up so he was face-to-face with Nya.

Nya knew that her friendship with Kai was often looked down upon because of her royal status, and that Kai was nothing more than a 'lowly creature' in the eyes of the court, but the mermaid princess didn't care. The little fish was like a brother to her. They had so much in common, such as their adventurous personalities and love for reckless escapades across the seabed.

"Well, my father, grandmother, and Zelda didn't _really_ say you shouldn't." Nya looked back at her family's words, and technically, she was right. They didn't specifically said that Kai shouldn't come with her.

"It's also _my_ birthday, so I can spend it however I want. Of course, you can go!"

Nya smiled as Kai somersaulted in a trail of bubbles with joy.

"Settle down, Kai," The mermaid chuckled at her little friend's antics. "Let's get going. I want to have plenty of time to explore the surface."

The red-tailed mermaid swam upwards with her veil and long ebony tresses flowing behind her as Kai swam up to keep up with her eager speed. Fortunately for Nya, it didn't take long before she saw a faint shimmering light not far above her. It meant she was close to the surface.

At last, this was her moment. She could feel her heart beat faster than ever before.

But she felt a slight tinge of fear within the core of her very being. There could be some rather unpleasant things in the surface Zelda never told her about. Could one of those monsters from the folklore her grandmother read to her exist above the water? What if there was something even more terrifying waiting for her on the surface?

Nya shook her head before any more questions could get the best of her. Nya, princess of the great Sea Kingdom, was NOT a coward. Putting on a brave face, the young mermaid swam up to face the world above hers.

The rush of a cool wind caressed Nya's petite form from the chest up. The sudden gush of air in her lungs took her almost by surprise, causing her to cough, because she was used to breathing underwater. Looking up, she didn't see the same sky that fascinated Zelda when she ventured to the surface for the first time, but to Nya, it was just as amazing.

The sky was a brilliant baby blue, filling the land and sea below with the warm rays of the bright sun as it smiled down upon all that it reached. In the sky were fluffy white clouds that took all kinds of fantastical shapes. It was like nothing Nya's ever seen, and she couldn't get enough.

"Isn't it wonderful, Kai?" The mermaid asked her fish friend once she finally found her voice.

Kai, unlike Nya, couldn't survive for long above the ocean, so he had to dip his head under the water every once in a while, but he was also able to catch a glimpse of the surface world.

"Yeah, real nice." He replied after submerging his face for the tenth time, because the mermaid kept gazing at the sky for what felt like an eternity.

"Come on, Kai. Let's find some other interesting spots to look around."

Nya swam underwater before flipping graciously above the water in midair, before descending into the depths of the ocean with a great splash.

This was by far, the best day of her life!

* * *

Nya swam to many different spots to poke her head out of the water, wanting to have as much adventures on the surface as she can before it gets late and her father and grandmother start to worry about her.

First, she swam up the nearest river she can find and found herself in the middle of a secluded spring in a thick forest filled with lush trees and flowers that were different from the corals that grew all over the seabed. Next, she swam to a lagoon and sat upon a rock, basking in the warm sun as her red scales glistened above the water, but the terrible itching from the dry air on her tail forced her to go back into the sea sooner than she would've liked.

Before she knew it, the sun began to set. That was the time Zelda first saw the surface, and Nya wanted to see the same sky that enchanted her older sister before she had to go back.

Poking her head above the water again, Nya was greeted by an amazing sight.

The tiny twinkling pinpoints of light called stars already sparkled in the sky. A colorful array of pink, purple, and orange, swirled above her and spanned the entire heavens. The reflection of the sky shimmered upon the water surrounding her. It was even more beautiful than she could ever imagine.

Nya was at a loss for words from the amazing sight above her. Once again, she kept staring at the colorful sky until all the wonderful hues faded to darkness, and a crescent moon glowed in the dark heavens. The stars in the sky twinkled more brightly than before. This was also her first time seeing the night sky above the water.

"Nya! It's getting late. Can we go home now?" Kai whined, wanting to return to his home under the sea, but the mermaid had other plans.

"But there's still so much to see in this world! I wish this day would never end."

"But you can't do it all at once. Besides, we have plenty of time tomorrow. You're finally of age, aren't you?"

"I guess so," Nya sighed, "but I want to explore just one more time before going back."

"Fine…"

* * *

Nya swam under the water, hoping to catch one more spectacle before retreating to her palace on the ocean floor. She journeyed far into the sea when a large shadow caught her hazel eyes.

'What could that be? Surely, it can't be a whale, they only visit the surface for a few seconds.'

The mermaid poked her head out of the water again and saw a grand sight like never before.

It was a ship, but it wasn't like the ones she rummaged for trinkets.

This one was ABOVE the water and had no rust. Most of all, there were HUMANS on it!

Nya HAD to take a closer look. Swimming up right next to the vessel, a loud and sudden whistle startled her. She dove under the water while Kai hid himself in her long black hair. However, as soon as the strange sound disappeared, Nya resurfaced, just in time to see a colorful light more brilliant than the sun explode in the sky, illuminating the heavens and reflecting upon the sea. She was so mesmerized, she was no longer scared of the loud noises that accompanied it.

Nya swam up to get a better look at the humans on the ship. They looked no different from the merpeople from the waist up, but they had these two peculiar limbs where there would've had tails, and they weren't as long. Another oddity was their clothes. The inhabitants of the sea only wore some jewelry or seashells purely for decoration, but these humans covered most of their bodies, save for their faces.

Humans can be pretty fascinating…

Soon, the all attention was on one single human on the ship. The crowd parted so that person could pass, and Nya got to see him.

He was a not just a human, but a human _prince_, with his crown, cape, and royal blue attire. His brown bangs were neatly swept to the side as he observed the world around him with beautiful eyes of sapphires. He was way more handsome than any merman Nya has ever seen.

"Ugh! What are those things?" Kai interrupted her thoughts.

"What things?" The mermaid hissed in annoyance.

"You know, those two hideous thingies where they would've had a tail like yours?"

"Those are legs, Kai." Nya answered, "Grandmother and Zelda said that that's what sets them apart from the merpeople. Quit being so shallow!"

Nya went back to gazing at the handsome prince as he joined in the festivities, dancing with the lucky maidens who were on board, and gleefully chatting with all the other men. The more she looked at him, the more she yearned to be at his side. But he was a human. He couldn't survive in the ocean. Her father sometimes spoke of how he had seen many humans die just by staying underwater and couldn't reach the surface before long.

Although she could breathe above water, she'll surely be shunned by the prince. They may have similar bodies from the waist up, but humans only believed that merpeople were just a legend, so there was no way she would ever belong to the prince.

But that did nothing for this strange feeling welling up in her chest.

Even knowing that they belong in two completely different worlds, Nya still felt a strong desire to be with the blue-eyed prince. She was never really interested in anything that had to do with romance, but there was something about him being human that attracted her to him.

Nya forgot all about her plan to return to the palace and stayed next to the ship, unable to get enough of the handsome prince, ignoring Kai's complaints, and failing to notice the dark clouds forming in the sky.

CRACK!

A loud roar from the heavens startled Nya. She looked up and saw a streak of light among the clouds lighting up the sky, its pattern like cracks on a broken glass. As fearsome as it was, part of her thought it was, in some way, beautiful.

A drop of water fell from the sky and splashed on the tip of her nose, tickling her.

'Since when did water fall from the sky?' Before this strange phenomenon, Nya thought that all the water in the world came solely from the ocean.

More and more drops of water fell from the heavens until it became a heavy downpour of rain and the roaring lights in the sky came more frequently. The people on the ship ran back inside but the human prince remained on the deck.

"Hoist the sails! Life anchor! We gotta get this ship moving!" The prince in blue commanded the few remaining men on the deck, who clambered about the ship, obeying the young sovereign. The prince himself took to the steering wheel, guiding the vessel through the roaring waves.

The fierce gales and angry waves plagued the ship but the prince persevered, remaining on the deck and steering the ship towards land as Nya followed, keeping her hazel eyes on the human, hoping he would survive the storm.

But the odds were not in the prince's favor.

The ship smashed against some jagged rocks and the wood began to split apart. Nya couldn't see very well in the rain and dark clouds, but she could just make out the prince's figure falling into the roaring ocean.

'No!' Nya swam under the water, dodging the sinking parts of the ship, searching for the prince. She saw him struggling to swim through the raging waters, but the violent forces of nature took their toll on him. The frantic flailing of his limbs gradually slowed down and his perfect sapphire eyes fell shut.

The mermaid thought only of the human prince and swam as fast as her red tail would let her, and she wrapped her arm around the young man's torso. From the stories she heard from her family, humans needed to breathe air in order to live. Placing the prince's life above her own, Nya used all her might to carry the prince towards the surface so that his head will stay above the water and death.

Once the prince's head was above the water, he coughed up some of the water in his throat, his wet brown tresses covering his face, and his clothes clinging to his body like a second skin.

He was unconscious, but Nya did what she could to keep him alive.

'Don't die, prince. Please. Don't die.'

The mermaid princess braved the raging storm all throughout the night, but she would do what she must for her prince in blue…

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**Phew, looks like I finally have a real chapter here! So, now that Nya's met Jay, I'll give U all a rundown 4 the next chapter. Nya will sing to Jay, but it's not gonna be 'Part of that World', this is more like the original fairy tale, & we'll see which character I chose 2 be the 'prince stealer'! Review, please!**


	3. Her Voice

**Ningyo Hime**

**HAPPY HALLOWEEN! I'm SO glad I'm just in time to update! In this chapter, Nya will sing to Jay, but unfortunately, we'll also be seeing the 'prince stealer', but don't blame me! Blame HC Andersen for making the prince a complete idiot!**

**Anyway, the song Nya will sing is Hoshi no Kakera by Hatsune Miku, which I don't own. She belongs to Crypton. Happy reading!**

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Chapter 3: Her Voice

The once raging violent waves were reduced to light ripples and the dark grey clouds parted to let the stars twinkle in the night sky again.

Under the starry sky, a little mermaid watched over her human prince.

After the storm ended, Nya carried the unconscious man to the nearest shore he could find.

The shore where she took the prince was mostly a rough and rocky terrain, so Nya was lucky to find the soft patch of sand where she had the human man rest. Not too far was a large building made of stone and beyond that, a forest.

Nya didn't care if anyone saw her, all she cared about was the prince's wellbeing.

She brushed her delicate fingers along the damp bangs matted to his forehead and pressed her ear against his chest. She also noticed that he had a scar that went through his right eyebrow, making him look even more distinct than any mermen she has ever seen. Her grandmother told her how humans had something called 'hearts' in their chests. As long as it continued beating, they will still be alive, but if it ever stopped, then they will die.

The mermaid stayed silent, hoping the prince's heart hadn't stopped.

Thump… Thump…

It was faint, but she could hear his heart beating ever so softly.

Nya felt so relieved, knowing that the prince hadn't died, but she still wished he was awake so she can see his blue eyes again. She could only think of one way to wake him up.

As the mermaid princess, Nya was known to have an incredibly beautiful voice.

She always noticed how all eyes were on her and Zelda whenever they would sing at the grand galas their father would hold at the royal palace.

The little mermaid hoped that this song she will sing just for the prince will revive him.

_The dew sparkles in the sunshine through the trees_

_I've been thinking…_

_Painful feelings overflow_

_While love grows_

_A soft wind brushes my cheek_

_Like a gentle caress_

_Gathering the courage to confess my feelings_

_I look up at the sky and weave out the words_

_On a canvas of red clouds_

_I paint a miracle of light_

_Letting the feelings hidden in my heart ride them_

_I want this message to reach you_

_I dream that we will walk side by side_

_On a rainbow bridge in a path of hope_

_I gather the star fragments shining in the sky_

_And craft a ring of light from them_

_I put an eternal promise and my wish in it_

_I want for you to accept my feelings for you_

_My feelings…_

_My feelings…_

Nya lovingly caressed the prince's face as she sang to him. For one moment, she could've sworn she saw the tiniest glimpse of sapphires between his eyelids. The young mermaid didn't know what these strange feelings were. She didn't really pay attention to the mermen under the sea. Because Zelda would always ignore her suitors, she thought that they weren't worth her time.

But why did she have these feelings she never felt before towards the prince?

Was it because they were from two different worlds?

Was it… love…?

The very first rays of the sun began to show its bright warm glow on the horizon as some of the stars began to disappear.

Morning was approaching.

A loud chiming of bells came from within the stone building. The large double doors opened. A group of girls wearing plain black dresses walked out, taking their morning stroll.

Nya was startled. She didn't realize how long she was gone from the palace, and she knew she shouldn't be seen by humans or her father would get a rise out of it. Giving just one kiss on the prince's brow, she crawled as quickly as she could until she was back in the water, back to her world. But she remained hidden behind the rocks, waiting to see what will happen next.

One of the girls from the building, the one in front, was the first to notice the prince laying on the beach. With concern written on her face, she picked up her pace until she was right next to the prince and knelt down to get a good look at him.

Nya took her time to observe the human girl.

The mermaid couldn't help but feel envious over the maiden's beauty, because she has never seen another mermaid, or human for that matter, more beautiful than her.

The human had thick wavy hair as black as obsidian that extended to the tip of her thighs. Her figure, although partially hidden in her dress, was voluptuous. Her skin was slightly lighter than average, and her eyes were a pure green and almost looked like jades, that is if Nya ever seen them before.

This human girl was the very definition of gorgeous.

The girl grabbed the prince by the shoulders and shook him gently, trying to wake him.

"Wake up! Wake up!" She called out to the prince.

Soon, the man's face twitched and he slowly opened his eyes, exposing his sapphire orbs to the world and to the human girl.

"Oh, thank goodness you're alright!" The girl sighed in relief.

"Y-you saved me…" The prince smiled at her. Still weak, his eyes fell shut and his consciousness slipped away again.

Fetching the other girls, the green-eyed human lifted the prince's body and carried him into the building, not knowing that a certain mermaid saw everything the whole time.

Nya was unhappy.

She was the one who saved the prince. She wished that he smiled at _her_. She wanted for him to realize it was _she_ who rescued him from the storm.

Kai also saw everything from the shallow water.

"What an idiot!" The red fish splashed around in irritation. "Nya! YOU were the one who saved him! Not that… that… _human_!"

Kai didn't have anything against humans, it was just that girl who stole the prince from Nya that irked him to no end.

"Kai, it's not a big deal," The mermaid dismissed her friend, "Humans and merpeople shouldn't even see each other. We don't belong in the same world so we were never meant to be. Come on, let's go back."

Nya sighed sadly and dived back into the deep ocean.

* * *

The mermaid couldn't get the human prince out of her head. Every time she closed her eyes, she could see his perfect blue orbs and his scarred eyebrow. She still told herself it was only by pure chance that she met the prince and it didn't mean much to her. She would never see him again, so why can't she stop thinking about him?

Nya's mind continued to revolve around the prince until she caught sight of the grand palace where her family and the guards were, without doubt, worried about her.

"Your Grace!" One of the mermen guarding the castle gates bowed down before the princess. "You were gone since your journey to the surface! Your father hadn't slept a wink. He's VERY worried about you."

"I apologize…" Nya responded as she made her way down the hall and its winding pillars.

While she swam down the hall, she happened upon Zelda leaving the royal archives with a book in hand. She lifted her crystal eyes from the pages and saw her little sister.

"Nya!"

The elder mermaid princess swam up to greet her younger sibling.

"Where have you been? Father and grandmother are _very_ worried about you."

The younger princess only answered with a sigh.

"Nya," Zelda started, "you've always dreamt of visiting the surface ever since we were little. To be honest, I should've expected that you would consume many hours gazing at the wonders of the surface world, but I wasn't expecting this sort of attitude. Did something happen?"

"No…" Nya lied. It was no secret that the Sea King was protective of his two daughters when it came to contact with humans. Even the slightest interaction would be a big deal. But Zelda was as smart as she was beautiful. She knew something happened to her sister during her journey. But she wanted for her to see their father first so his anxieties will disappear.

"Come, sister. Father would like to see you."

Zelda swam ahead of Nya and led her to the throne room where her father sat.

The Sea King's kind eyes were wrought with parental anxiety over the safety of his daughter.

"Father…" Nya bowed down, not wanting to look him straight in the eye.

"Nya, I couldn't be more relieved that you are safe. The world above can be a dangerous place. I do not wish for you to put your life at risk."

The young mermaid remained silent, hoping she won't be punished by confinement.

"But you are here, safe and sound. That's all I could ever want for you, my daughter. Now let us be happy. Let us all celebrate your safe return."

Everyone in the room clapped and soon, a grand ball commenced. It was even more wondrous than those on the surface. The entire palace glowed with the cheerful spirits of the merpeople as they sang, danced, and laughed to their hearts' content and even the seashells and coral that adorned the castle walls sparkled with all the festivities.

The best thing about these royal galas was the mermaid princesses would sing, and there was a very good reason why they were reputed to have the most beautiful voices on land and sea.

First to sing was Zelda, whose silky smooth voice enchanted all who heard it. All mermen's eyes were on the elder mermaid as her operatic soprano voice rang across the halls of the palace.

After her was Nya. She knew about her reputation as an amazing songstress. During the party, she couldn't stop thinking about the prince and what it would be like to dance with him in the balls held in the world above hers. But she decided to sing for everyone, hoping to get her mind off the prince for even one minute.

The young mermaid's voice had a light, innocent tone that charmed all mermaids and mermen alike. Nya and Zelda's voices were different but all the merpeople agree that they sure can sing.

But in the end, Nya was still unhappy.

The inhabitants of the underwater kingdom already heard her sing so many times, and she still wanted the prince to hear her voice.

He was unconscious when she sang that song to him so it was unlikely that he heard her.

* * *

After the party ended, Nya and Zelda returned to their bedchambers, removing the decorations in their hair as they readied themselves for bed.

"Nya? You are not yourself." Zelda continued to observe her little sister throughout much of the gala. That playful sparkle in her hazel eyes were absent, except when she sang.

The ebony-haired mermaid only looked at her sister.

"I'm asking you this because I'm truly concerned about you. Please, tell me what happened."

"I-it's… you wouldn't understand…"

But Nya knew that Zelda was something of a prodigy. She was one of those mermaids who had both beauty AND brains. If she keeps hiding the truth, her sister will only get more suspicious.

"Actually, Zelda, something happened."

Zelda's usually stoic face held an expression that said 'I knew it'.

"What happened, Nya? If it is something that troubles you so, I won't prod you further, but on the other hand, please tell me. I promise I will not say anything."

"I was really planning to come home in time last night, but I saw a ship. It was one of the most glorious things I have ever seen, and there were people. They were singing and dancing, and I saw _him_…"

"Him…?"

"Yes. He was a human prince. A storm ravaged the ship and I saved him."

"Did he see you?"

"No."

Zelda sighed. Because the only people on the surface who believed in the merpeople were little girls with their innocent fantasies, the people of the underwater kingdom rarely interacted with the inhabitants of the land above, and doing such was practically unheard of. It was also for this reason that most merpeople who visited the surface always made sure they wouldn't be seen by humans, which was considered an official rule in the Sea Kingdom. But she was relieved that her bold sister wasn't seen by the prince, or their father would scold her something fierce.

"Then you haven't done anything wrong, but why does this upset you so?"

Nya, who kept her hazel eyes on her swishing red tail throughout the whole conversation, lifted her head to look at Zelda straight in the eyes.

"Because I wish he did…"

* * *

**Yeah, the 'prince stealer' is my genderbent version of Cole aka Colette. Don't get me wrong, Cole's my favorite ninja, but I chose 'him' to be the human princess because he and Nya had the same hair color. I'm also expecting some hate from Cole fangirls, so come at me once I get my 'raging fangirl' shield.**

**Again, it's HC Andersen's fault for making such a stupid prince. I'm sure you're all tempted to reach your hands through the screen and strangle Jay for being an idiot, but that's how the (real) story goes.**

**And I also wanted to show some interaction between Nya and Zelda in this chapter.**

**Anyway, review and have a happy Halloween!**


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